Draft gears for railway draft riggings



June 1958 E. G. FORSSELL DRAFT GEARS FOR RAILWAY DRAFT RIGGINGS 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June 20, 1955 fnren rx Eric. Ql orsseZZ.

June 3, 1958 E. G. FORSSELL DRAFT GEARS FOR RAILWAY DRAFT RIGGINGS 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Inve 71/07: 17 r ic QF'orsseZZ. 3 x

Filed June 20, 1955 Unit d Stat Patefi i Eric G. Forssell, Kenmore, N. Y., assignor to W. H; Miner, Inc., Chicago, 111., a corporation of Delaware Application June 20, 1955, Serial No. 516,615

Claims. (Cl. 213-45) This invention relates to draft gears for railway draft riggings. I H v i It is a main object of the invention to provide an improved plunger for applying pressure to a stabilized resilient, column that is encased in ametallic casing.

Another object of the invention is'to provide a pressure applying plunger that is composed of a pair of identical members that telescope into the casing and are held in operating position therein by extensions on a front follower interengaged with the plunger members.

Another-object of the invention is to provide a pressure applying plunger within which is housed a com pensatingunit by which the gear is maintained tight in the yoke and pocket. of a draft rigging.

@,'Further objects ofthe invention not specifically mentioned here will be apparent from the detailed description and claims which follow, reference being had to the accompanying drawings in which a preferred embodiment of the'invention is shown by way of example and in which:

Figure 1 is a plan view of the gear installed in a draft g;

-' Figure 2 is a side elevational view of the gear;

Figure 3 is a front elevational view of the gear; Figure 4 is a cross sectional view taken in a vertical plane extending longitudinally thereof and showing the gear in fully extended position;

, Figure 5 is a front end elevational view of the casing; Figure 6 is a front elevational view of the plunger members;

Figure 7 isia rear elevational view of one of the plunger members;

Figure 8 is a cross sectional view similar to Figure 4,

I showing the gear in the position it assumes in the draft rigging;

:Figure 9 is a perspective view of one of the plunger members; Figure 10 is a perspective view of the front follower; .7,

Figure 11 is a perspective view of the compensating follower. V v e I 7 As shown in the drawings, the gear of the present invention consists of a metallic casing A ofgenerally rectangular cross section, from the front end of which the pressure applying plunger B projects. Within thecasing is a front follower C, a compensating follower D, a compensating resilient column E, a main resilient column consisting of units F divided into groups by. stabilizing followers G, and a rear follower H which engages the rear end of the main resilient column and abuts against the removable rear wall I of the casing, which'wall holds the gear together as a unit.

The casing A consists of spaced apart top and bottom walls 10 and 11, and spaced apart side walls 12 and 13. Projecting'inwardly from the'front end of the top and bottom walls 10 and 11 are-flanges 14, best seen in Figure 5, which flanges extend from the sidewalls 12 and 13 respectively inwardly approximately one-third of the width of the top and bottom'walls 10 and 11. At the rear end of the casing similar flanges 15 extend completely across the top and bottom walls 10 and 11.

The pressure applying plunger B consists of two identical members, each comprising a planar front wall 20, from the rear face of which is projected a generally C-shape structure consisting of a vertical'side wall 21 and top and bottom walls 22. Projecting outwardly from the top and bottom walls are lugs 23. The dimensions of the rearwardly extending C-shape portion of the plunger members are such that the members may be inserted into the casing'at the center thereof, with the lugs 23 passing between the ends of the flanges 14, after which the member B is moved outwardly with the lugs 23 engaged behind the flanges 14 to hold the member in the casing.

The second member B is similarly inserted and-moved in the opposite direction adjacent the other side wall of the casing.

The front follower consists of a generally rectangular .rear wall 25 adapted to have sliding fit with the walls of the casing A. From the rear face of the rear wall 25, flanges 26 project from diagonally opposite corners, these flanges being of generally triangular shape. Projecting forwardly from the front face of the rear wall 25 of the follower C are platelike members 27 which fit between the adjacent ends of the walls 22of the plunger member, serving to hold the members B in spread apart relation. It will be noted that the side wall 21 of the rearwardly extending, portion of the plunger B contains a recess 24 in the outer surface of that Wall. Projecting forwardly from the front face of the rear wall 25 of the front follower C are lugs 28 which project into the recesses 24 in the plungers B and serve to limit outward movement of the members B with respect to the front follower C.

'A compensating follower D consists of a generally rectangular rear wall 30 of such dimension as to fit within the space bounded by walls 21 and 22 of the plunger members B and to abut against the rear face of the front walls 20 of those members. Projecting forwardly from this rear wall 30 is a boss 31 that extends between the adjacent edges of the front walls 20 of the members B and therebeyond as shown in Figure 4. V

The compensating column B, which fits in the space within the plunger members B, consists of a plurality of solid rubber pads disposed between and bonded to-meta'l facing plates. Pads of this'type are known in the art and need not be described in further detail. The main column, consisting'of a plurality of pads F, each of which is of the same general design as the pads E but of somewhat larger dimension, is divided "into groups by stabilizing followers G, which like the" pads are of known design and need not be described-in furtherdetail herein. The rear follower H, likewise of known design, completes the column and abuts against the rear wall I of the casing. i I

in assembling the gear, plunger members B arcinserted into the front endof the casing A in the manner explained above, moved to the opposite sides of that casing, and secured in this position 'in any convenient .manner such as by the insertion of suitable wooden Patented- June 3, 1958 tensions 27 thereof moving the temporary blocks out of engagement with the walls 22 of the plunger members B. The main column, consisting of pads F and stabilizing followers G andjhe rear follower H, are next placed within the casing. Pressure'is applied to the rear follower H to compress the column sufficiently to register the perforations in the rear follower with the perforations in the casing, thereby to permit insertion of keys to hold the column compressed after pressure is removed. The rear wall I is then inserted in the casing in the usual manner, pressure reapplied to this column through this rear wall, the keys removed, and pressure removed gradually to permit the column to expand and force the rear wall into its operative-position.

It will'be noted in Figure 4 that the main resilient column of the gear forces the front follower C and plunger members B forwardly, bringing the lugs 23 on the plunger members B into engagement with the flanges 14 on the casing. The gear will then be slightly longer than the pocket and yoke of the draft gear. gear is inserted in the pocket, front walls of the plunger members B abut against the lugs I that define the front end of the pocket, and the rear end of the casing abuts against the lugs K that define the rear end of that pocket. Coupler shank L abuts against the boss 31 of the compensating follower D and the yoke M abuts against the rear wall of the casing.

As will be seen best in Figure 8, with the gear in this position lugs 23 are spaced rearwardly of the flanges 14 on' the casing and the compensating follower D has been moved inwardly of the casing by the coupler shank L. These movements add to the initial compression of the main and compensating columns and permit expansion of the gear, as required, to maintain it tight in the pocket and yoke despite enlargement of the pocket and yoke by wear or otherwise.

As is common practice, the plunger B will preferably be blocked in somewhat retracted position by insertion of suitable wooden blocks between the lugs 23 and flanges 14 during assembly of the gear, thereby shortening its overall length sufficiently to permit its ready insertion in the yoke and pocket of the draft rigging.

When the In operation, impacts placed upon the gear in buff are transmitted by the coupler shank to telescope the compensating follower into the plunger members until the coupler shank abuts against the front wall of the plunger members B and the forward ends of the front follower extensions 27. Further movement of the coupler shank telescopes the plungers and front follower into the casing, compressing the main column in the usual manner. Forces applied to the gear in buif through the yoke M move the casing forwardly to produce the same results.

Having thus complied with the statutes and shown and described the preferred embodiment of my invention, what I consider new and desire to have protected by Letters Patent is pointed out in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

l. A compensating unit for an encased rubber column draft gear comprising: a pair of plunger members each having a C-shaped portion telescoped into the gear casing with their open ends adjacent but spaced apart; front walls on said members closing the front ends of the members and overhanging the walls of the gear casing; a compensating follower disposed within the space between said members and abutting against the rear faces of said front walls; a boss on said compensating follower projecting between said front walls and terminating forwardly thereof; a compensating column within said space abutting against said compensating follower; a front follower for said rubber column against which said compensating column also abuts; projections on said front follower extending forwardly therefrom between said plunger members and abutting against the adjacent ends of said C-shaped portions to hold the members apart; and

interengaged lugs on said C-shaped portions and the gear casing for limiting movement of the compensating unit outwardly of the gear casing.

2. In a draft gear for railway draft rigging; a metallic casing of rectangular section open at both ends; flanges on the top and bottom walls of the casing at the front endthereof, each extending inwardly from a side wall for a distance equal to approximately one-third of the width of the .top and bottom walls; a pair of plunger members each comprising: a platelike front wall from the rear face of which C-shaped walls project into the front end of the casing; lugs projecting from the top and bottom portions of said C-shaped walls and interengaged with said flanges to hold the plungers in the casing; a front follower in said casing against which the inner ends of said C-shaped walls abut; a compensating follower in said plunger, having a base portion engaging the inner faces of said C-shaped walls and the rear. faces of said front walls, and a forwardly extending central portion extending between said front walls and therebeyond; platelike members extending forwardly from said front follower between the top and bottom portions of said C-shaped walls; a compensating column confined in the space bounded by said front and compensating followers, platelike members and C-shaped walls; a main resilient column within the casing abutting against the rear face of said front follower; a rear wall for the casing; and flanges on the top and bottom edges of said rear wall interengaged with flanges on the top and bottom walls of the casing for holding said rear'wall in the casing, thereby tohold said gear together as a unit.

3. A draft gear as specified in claim 2, in which the side edges of the platelike members are inclined with respect to the faces of'the members, and the edges of the C-shaped walls are inclined to register with the edges of the platelike members. V p

4. A draft gear as specified in claim 2, in which vertically disposed bosses project forwardly from the sides of the front follower and project into recesses in the rear ends of the side wall portion of said C-shaped walls to limit movement of the plunger members away from each other. i i

5. In a draft gear for railway draft riggings, a casing of rectangular cross section open at both ends; flanges on the top and bottom walls of said casing projecting inwardly of the open ends thereof, the flanges at the front end of the casing extending inwardly from the side walls of the casing and along the outer approximately one-third of the top and bottom walls thereof; a pair of plunger members having generaly C-shaped walls telescoped into the front end of the casing; outwardly extending lugs on the top and bottom portions of said plunger walls interlocked with said front end flanges to hold the plungers in the casing; generally rectangular front walls on said plunger members overhanging said C-shaped walls; a compensating plunger disposed between said C-shaped walls and abutting against the rear faces of said front walls; a generally rectangular boss on said compensating plunger projecting forwardly between said front walls and therebeyond; a resilient compensating column within the space defined by said C-shaped walls andbearing against said compensating plunger; a front follower within said casing bearing against said C-shaped walls and compensating column; a main resilient column within said casing bearing against said front. follower; a removable rear wall forsaid casing bearing against the rear end of said main resilient column; and lugs on said rear wall engaging the flanges at the rear end of said top and bottom casing walls for holding said gear together asa unit.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,439,843 Dath -2 Apr. 20, 1948 2,684,160 Dentler July 20, 1954 2,692,768 W ithall Oct. 26, 1954 

